Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian troops into Ukrainian territory surrounding the countries’ border on a so-called ‘peacekeeping’ mission, while also recognising the independence of separatists in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

It’s been condemned as a violation of international law.

Director of the Democracy Initiative at the University of Technology in Sydney, Dr Olga Oleinikova, said until last week, people were optimistic in the region.

“I have some friends there, who I regularly talk to … same as Ukraine, in Donetsk and Lugansk people did not expect that anything like this can happen.

“But when evacuations started two days ago, when Russia evacuated people in Donesk and Lugansk to a city in Russia, that’s when it definitely meant there will be some moves happening in the following days.”

She also said she didn’t believe sanctions from the West would do much to deter President Putin.

Press PLAY below to hear more of her insights, including a particularly worrying claim made by President Putin 

Embassy staff evacuated from Ukraine, Australians urged to flee